What is Purusha Suktam?
Purusha Suktam is a sacred Vedic hymn composed in Sanskrit. It is found in the 10th Mandala (book) of the Rigveda, one of the oldest collections of hymns and prayers in the world. The hymn is attributed to the ancient seer Rishi Narayana, who beautifully articulates the cosmic nature of Purusha, the Supreme Being. The hymn's multi-layered meanings and allegorical nature continue to inspire intellectual discourse and deep contemplation.
The Origin of Purusha
According to Purusha Suktam, the origin of the universe lies in the cosmic being known as Purusha. Purusha is described as infinite, omnipresent, and all-encompassing. The hymn portrays Purusha as having a thousand heads, eyes, and feet, symbolizing his boundless nature and omnipotence.
The Creation of the Universe
Purusha Suktam describes a cosmic sacrifice, where the gods, sages, and celestial beings participate. The gods offer different parts of Purusha's body as sacrificial oblations, symbolizing the interdependence and unity of all creation. This act of sacrifice is believed to sustain the cosmic order and maintain the harmony of the universe.
As the gods perform the cosmic sacrifice, the hymn elucidates the creation of the universe. From the various parts of Purusha's body, different entities of the cosmos emerge. The hymn describes how the Moon, the Sun, the Earth, the wind, and other elements manifest from Purusha's divine form, establishing the interconnectedness and interdependence of all existence.
Significance in Rituals and Worship
Purusha Suktam holds great significance in Hindu rituals and worship. It is often chanted during sacred ceremonies and Vedic rituals to invoke the blessings of Purusha and seek spiritual elevation. The hymn is regarded as a powerful tool for connecting with the divine energy and fostering a deeper understanding of the cosmic order.
Purusha Suktam Meaning
Read Purusha Suktam Lyrics and its meaning in different Languages
ॐ तच्छं यॊरावृणीमहॆ । गातुं यज्ञाय । गातुं यज्ञपतयॆ । दैवी" स्वस्तिरस्तु नः ।
स्वस्तिर्मानुषॆभ्यः । ऊर्ध्वं जिगातु भॆषजम् । शं नॊ अस्तु द्विपदॆ" । शं चतुष्पदॆ ।
॥ ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः ॥OM tachham yoraavruneemahe | gaatum yajnaaya | gaatum yajnapataye | daivi svastirastu naH |
svastirmaanushebhyaH | Urdhvam jigaatu bheshajam | sham no astu dvipade | sham chatushpade |
|| OM shaantiH shaantiH shaantiH ||OM, May that divine grace lead us forward, to perform our sacred duties and to fulfill our obligations. May there be divine peace for us and for all humanity. May the herbs bestow health upon us, and may there be peace, both on the Earth and in the heavens. May there be peace for the two-legged beings and peace for the four-legged beings. OM, peace, peace, peace.
सहस्रशीर्षॆति षॊळशर्चस्य सूक्तस्य नारायण ऋषिः । अनुष्टुप् छंदः । अंत्या त्रिष्टुप् । परमपुरुषॊ दॆवता ॥
sahasrasheersheti sholasharchasya sooktasya naaraayana rushiH | anushtup chandaH | antyaa trishtup | paramapurusho devataa ||
Sahasra-Sheersha is the name of the hymn, it consists of sixteen verses, and Narayana Rishi is the sage associated with it. The meter (poetic rhythm) used in this hymn is "Anushtup," and the concluding verse uses the "Trishtup" meter. The supreme divine being "Paramapurusha" is the deity of this hymn.
ॐ सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः । सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात् ।
स भूमिं विश्वतॊ वृत्वा । अत्यतिष्ठद्दशांगुलम् ॥ १ ॥OM sahasrashirshaa purushaH | sahasraakshaH sahasrapaat |
sa bhoomim vishvato vrutvaa | atyatishthaddashaangulam || 1 ||The Purusha (Supreme Cosmic Being) has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet. He is enveloping the Earth from all sides, and pervading in the ten directions.
पुरुष ऎवॆदग्ं सर्वम्" । यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम्" ।
उतामृतत्वस्यॆशानः । यदन्नॆनातिरॊहति ॥ २ ॥purusha evedam sarvam | yadbhootam yacha bhavyam |
utaamrutatvasyeshaanaH | yadannenaatirohati || 2 ||The Purusha is everything in this universe. Whatever is past and whatever is yet to come, all exist within the realm of the Supreme Being. The entire universe is sustained by the essence of immortality present in him.
ऎतावानस्य महिमा । अतॊ ज्यायाग्श्च पूरुषः ।
पादॊ"ऽस्य विश्वा भूतानि । त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि ॥ ३ ॥Etaavaanasya mahimaa | ato jyaayaanshca poorushaH |
paadosya vishvaa bhutaani | tripaadasyaamrutam divi || 3 ||His (Purusha's) supreme glory is greater than the greatness. All living beings are a part of His creation, and only one-fourth of Him is manifest in this world; three-fourths of Him reside in the celestial realm (heaven).
त्रिपादूर्ध्व उदैत्पुरुषः । पादॊ"ऽस्यॆहाऽभवात्पुनः ।
ततॊ विष्वङ्व्यक्रामत् । साशनानशनॆ अभि ॥ ४ ॥tripaadoordhva udaitpurushaH | paadosyehaabhavaatpunaH |
tato vishvagvyakraamat | saashanaanashane abhi || 4 ||The Purusha with three-quarters transcends above, and one-quarter of Him remains here. From that, He spread all across, permeating the entire universe, and He sustains both the animate and inanimate existence.
तस्मा"द्विराळजायत । विराजॊ अधि पूरुषः ।
स जातॊ अत्यरिच्यत । पश्चाद्भूमिमथॊ पुरः ॥ ५ ॥tasmaadviraalajaayata | viraajo adhi poorushaH |
sa jaato atyarichyata | pashchaadbhumimatho puraH || 5 ||From Him (Purusha) arose the vast universe, and from the universe, the Virat Purusha (Viraat) emerged. After His manifestation, He extended beyond it, both in front and behind, enveloping the Earth from all sides.
यत्पुरुषॆण हविषा" । दॆवा यज्ञमतन्वत ।
वसंतॊ अस्यासीदाज्य"ं । ग्रीष्म इध्मश्शरद्धविः ॥ ६ ॥yatpurushena havishaa | devaa yagnamatanvata |
vasanto asyaasidaajyam | greeshma idhmashsharaddhaviH || 6 ||The gods performed a yagna (sacred ritual) with Purusha as the offering. Different seasons became parts of Yajna—spring as the clarified butter (ghee), summer as the fuel, and autumn as the oblation.
सप्तास्यासन् परिधयः । त्रिः सप्त समिधः कृताः ।
दॆवा यद्यज्ञं तन्वानाः । अबध्नन् पुरुषं पशुम् ॥ ७ ॥saptaasyaasan paridhayaH | triH sapta samidhaH krutaaH |
devaa yadyagnam tanvaanaaH | abadhnan purusham pashum || 7 ||This yajna had seven peridhis. And twenty-one items were made into samidas or firewood. The deities, who started performing Manasayagna, tied Viratapurusha himself as an animal.
तं यज्ञं बर्हिषि प्रौक्षन् । पुरुषं जातमग्रतः ।
तॆन दॆवा अयजंत । साध्या ऋषयश्च यॆ ॥ ८ ॥tam yagnam barhishi proukshan | purusham jaatamagrataH |
tena devaa ayajanta | saadhyaa rushayashcha ye || 8 ||With the sprinkling of water with sacred grass (barhis) on the sacrificial altar, the Yajna Purusha was born. Through him, all the gods, sadhyas, and sages performed the sacrificial rituals.
तस्मा"द्यज्ञाथ्सर्वहुतः । संभृतं पृषदाज्यम् ।
पशूग्स्ताग्श्चक्रॆ वायव्यान् । आरण्यान् ग्राम्याश्च यॆ ॥ ९ ॥tasmaadyajnaathsarvahutaH | sambhrutam prushadaajyam |
pashoogstaagshchakre vaayavyaan | aaranyaan graamyaashcha ye || 9 ||From that yajna which burnt everything, curd mixed with ghee (the substance of creation) came into being. From it, God created the birds of the air, the animals of the forest, and all the cattle of the land.
तस्मा"द्यज्ञाथ्सर्व हुतः । ऋचः सामानि जज्ञिरॆ ।
छंदाग्ंसि जज्ञिरॆ तस्मा"त् । यजुस्तस्मादजायत ॥ १० ॥tasmaadyajnaathsarva hutaH | ruchaH saamaani jajnire |
chandaamsi jajnire tasmaat | yajustasmaadajaayata || 10 ||From that yajna which burnt everything, Rig mantras (Mantras of Rigveda) and Sama mantras (Mantras of Samaveda) were born. So did Chandas (rhymes) like the Gayatri, and the Yajurveda arose.
तस्मादश्वा अजायंत । यॆ कॆ चॊभयादतः ।
गावॊ ह जज्ञिरॆ तस्मा"त् । तस्मा"ज्जाता अजावयः ॥ ११ ॥tasmaadashvaa ajaayanta | ye ke chobhayaadataH |
gaavo ha jajnire tasmaat | tasmaajjaataa ajaavayaH || 11 ||Horses and all animals with teeth in two jaws were born from that sacrifice. Cows were born from it. Goats and sheep were also born from it.
यत्पुरुषं व्यदधुः । कतिधा व्यकल्पयन् ।
मुखं किमस्य कौ बाहू । कावूरू पादावुच्यॆतॆ ॥ १२ ॥yatpurusham vyadadhuH | katidhaa vyakalpayan |
mukham kimasya kou baahoo | kaavuru paadaavuchyete || 12 ||When Viratpurusha was worshipped, in how many ways was he visualized? What is his face? What are arms? What are his thighs? What are his legs?
ब्राह्मणॊ"ऽस्य मुखमासीत् । बाहू राजन्यः कृतः ।
ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्यः । पद्भ्याग्ं शूद्रॊ अजायत ॥ १३ ॥braahmanosya mukhamaaseet | baahu raajanyaH krutaH |
ooru tadasya yadvaishyaH | padbhyaam shoodro ajaayata || 13 ||The Brahmanas came from His mouth, the Kshatriyas came from His arms, the Vaishya emerged from His thighs, and the Shudra was born from His feet.
चंद्रमा मनसॊ जातः । चक्षॊः स्सूर्यॊ अजायत ।
मुखादिंद्रश्चाग्निश्च । प्राणाद्वायुरजायत ॥ १४ ॥chandramaa manaso jaataH | chakshoH sooryo ajaayata |
mukhaadindrashchaagnishcha | praanaadvaayurajaayata || 14 ||From the mind of the Purusha, the Moon was born, and from His eyes, the Sun emerged. From His mouth, Indra and Agni (fire) were born, and from His breath, Vayu (wind) manifested.
नाभ्या आसीदंतरिक्षम् । शीर्ष्णॊ द्यौः समवर्तत ।
पद्भ्यां भूमिर्दिशः श्रॊत्रा"त् । तथा लॊकाग्ं अकल्पयन् ॥ १५ ॥naabhyaa aaseedantariksham | shirshno dyouH samavartata |
padbhyaam bhoomirdishaH shrotraat | tathaa lokaagam akalpayan || 15 ||From His navel arose the antariksha (atmosphere). From His head, the heavens spread out. From His feet, the Earth took its form. And from His ears, the directions of space were created. In this way, Virat purusha fashioned the entire cosmos.
वॆदाहमॆतं पुरुषं महांतम्" । आदित्यवर्णं तमसस्तुपारॆ ।
सर्वाणि रूपाणि विचित्य धीरः । नामानि कृत्वाऽभिवदन् , यदास्तॆ" ॥ १६ ॥vedaahametam purusham mahaantam | aadityavarnam tamasastupaare |
sarvaani roopaani vichitya dheeraH | naamaani krutvaabhivadan , yadaaste || 16 ||I have realized this great and supreme Purusha. He is effulgent like the sun beyond all darkness. The wise, after realizing His various forms, offer obeisance and worship by reciting His names.
धाता पुरस्ताद्यमुदाजहार । शक्रः प्रविद्वान् प्रदिशश्चतस्रः ।
तमॆवं विद्वानमृत इह भवति । नान्यः पंथा अयनाय विद्यतॆ ॥ १७ ॥dhaataa purastaadyamudaajahaara | shakraH pravidvaan pradishashchatasraH |
tamevam vidvaanamruta iha bhavati | naanyaH panthaa ayanaaya vidyate || 17 ||The creator projected the universe and Indra covered all four directions. Understanding this truth, one becomes immortal in this world. There is no other path than the knowledge of Purusha to attain liberation.
यज्ञॆन यज्ञमयजंत दॆवाः । तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन् ।
तॆ ह नाकं महिमानः सचंतॆ । यत्र पूर्वॆ साध्यास्संति दॆवाः ॥ १८ ॥yajnena yajnamayajanta devaaH | taani dharmaani prathamaanyaasan |
te ha naakam mahimaanaH sachante | yatra poorve saadhyaassanti devaaH || 18 ||The gods worshipped the Divine through yajna, and by that very yajna, established Dharma (the cosmic order). Those virtuous ones, having attained celestial realms, reside in the abode of the divine, where the sages and accomplished gods dwell.
